Sundance traffic: heavy congestion expected into Park City

Drivers headed to Park City during the Sundance Film Festival should expect heavy traffic at times along the S.R. 224 entryway, the state highway that is the primary route into and out of the city.

The Utah Department of Transportation said on Friday it is estimating that, at its worst, the trip from Kimball Junction to the Old Town roundabout will take an extra 20 minutes. If that is the case, it could take upward of 35 to 40 minutes to travel between the Interstate 80 exit and Main Street, perhaps twice as long as usual.

Robert Miles, the Department of Transportation engineer in the district that includes the Park City area, suggested people carpool or drive into Park City at off hours. He urged people to drive safely.

"Safety in this case equals convenience," Miles said.

State transportation officials worked closely with staffers in Park City and Summit County to craft plans for Sundance. Buses are allowed on the shoulder of a section of outbound S.R. 224 if the traffic is bad.

Miles said traffic along the S.R. 248 entryway is also expected to be a little worse than normal during Sundance.